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Friday, May 31, 2013

Hawaii’s Elderly Among Nation’s Healthiest

According to a report commissioned by the United Health Foundation, Hawaii ranked 6th in the nation in terms of the health of people 65 years or older. The study, called America’s Health Rankings Senior Report: A Call to Action, researched senior’s behavior, clinical care, health outcomes, communities, and environment measures. Hawaii had the lowest rates in the nation in terms of obesity, hip fractures and preventable hospitalization, and also scored well on low smoking rates and high physical activity. The healthiest state for seniors in the country was Minnesota while Mississippi came in last.
Chief medical officer of the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawaii, Dr. Ron Fujimoto, commented, “This is the first study of its kind focusing on the senior population, those 65 and older. The objective of this report is to have everyone look at this population and be advocates for improving the health of this group. This segment of the population is growing rapidly. It’s a pretty compelling population to study. I was very encouraged by the fact that we are in the Top 10 and I know we could be in the Top Five, if we look at this report and start understanding better where we can put our resources and energies.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-30-2013, www.staradvertiser.com

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